Before Light, After Dawn
by TheOracleOfDarkness
Summary: Valduggery at the mo but that could all change... Set after LSODM, but you'll still understand if you haven't read the book :) Give it a try. You probably won't be transformed into a lamppost and, let's face it, that's the WORST that could happen...
1. Chapter 1

It was a cold, bitter night in Roarhaven, but Valkyrie had never minded the cold weather much and Darquess had similar feelings about the chilly evening air. They were the same person, after all.

She was sat on top of one of Roarhaven's new skyscrapers, watching the people below her like bugs. Bugs she intended on squashing under one great, big heavy boot. Not that she was wearing boots, of course, they were more like sandals... but a wardrobe update wasn't the first thing on her mind at the moment.

Suddenly, Darquess let herself plummet to the ground with her raven hair dancing in the air behind her. She hit the ground and a shockwave advanced outward, but as usual she didn't have a single scratch on her pretty face. Already, people were sprinting away, trying to escape, but they weren't even a hinderance for Darquess. She threw them all to the ground without blinking, let alone lifting a finger, and then dragged one mage with hideous robes towards her. He screamed and she silenced him with a lazy twitch of her hand.

"Where's Skulduggery Pleasant?"

She unsilenced him briefly and he stuttered "T-The Sanc-ctuary"

Darquess thanked him quietly before crushing his skull between her palm, letting the blood and brains flow over her fingertips. She let the others go unharmed, she let them run and warn the others of the great Darquess, before walking straight through all the Sanctuary's defences (including the walls) straight into the Grand Mage's office. China's beautiful eyes widened as she came into view.

"Where's Skulduggery?"

China considered lying, but she realised Darquess would find Skulduggery with or without her help. She may as well make it slightly easier for the physco.

"Down the hall on your left, second door on the right" China befiefly closed her eyes and waited to die, but Darquess only watched her with an amused smile. China could be useful later.

Leaving China stunned, Darquess closed in on Skulduggery's office. She hesitated slight;y as her hand hovered over the doorhandle, but she brushed all emotions aside and entered the room, silently. Skulduggery was reading something on a polished wooden desk, and didn't even look up as Darquess went to stand behind him.

"Hello" she said, and grinned as his head snapped up.

**Hey there :)**

**So I hope you enjoyed that little snippet. Sorry for all mistakes.**

**Over here in the UK I think some teachers are planning a strike or something. Maybe I'll even get a day off school!**

**If only, eh?**

**Pretty please review with ANY ideas you might have. Also, the more reviews I get the faster I'll post the next chapter! Lemme know if what ya want :D**

**TheOracleOfDarkness x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Quick competition- Anyone who guesses my real name gets to take over my account and all the stories (only one so far but there you go...) **

**None of you will guess it. It's weird.**

Darquesse could almost feel the way Skulduggery's metaphorical heart shattered when he saw her.

"Hello" Skulduggery replied in a strained voice. There was an awkward silence as neither knew what to say.

"I need to see if she's there" Darquesse blurted. Skulduggery tilted his head. "I mean Valkyrie" she sighed and raised her hand. Before he could ask what she planned on doing, Skulduggery was blasted across the room and into a cheap bookcase, spilling the paperbacks all over the floor.

Darquesse grinned and took a confident step forwards, "Well that answers my question-" she began, but the sentence ended in a scream of agony as a blinding white light filled her head and a voice almost burst her eardrums.

"NOOO" it screamed and she screamed with it.

"I suppose it does answer your question" Skulduggery commented, rubbing his skull and brushing dust from his suit. Darquesse staggered slightly and scowled. Skulduggery saw his chance and grabbed it.

"Do you remember when we were dealing with all that Argeddion business? And you were shunting?"

"No" Darquesse lied.

"And then I was camping out in your back garden, waiting for you to give me a call"

"Shut up" Darquesse grimaced.

"And then you invited me in. And I sang you to sleep. _Me and Mrs Jones..._" he began and Darquesse clutched her ears. Skulduggery sang louder and she dropped to her knees, emitting squeaks of pain every so often. By the time Skulduggery had finished the song, Darquesse was unconscious and sprawled across the office floor. All Skulduggery did was watch her for a few, suspenful moments before picking up the phone.

"I need you here. Now"

_.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._. -._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.

When Valkyrie opened her big, dark eyes the hazy image of two faces appeared over her. One was the horrifying picture of Dr Nye and the other was the shining skull of Skulduggery Pleasant.

Both reached out for her and asked her numerous questions, confusing her and making her headache throb. When they started raising their voices, she burst into tears.

Nye leapt back like it had been electrocuted, before scuttling out of the room like a wounded puppy. Valkyrie felt the boney arm of her best friend wrap her in a hug as she sobbed and he pulled her onto his lap.

"What are we going to do with me?" she sniffed "We need somewhere Darquess can't escape. Somewhere I can't ever see anyone"

"I... I don't know" he sounded shaken.

"Do I have to die? Should we kill her? Kill me?"

"That's not going to happen"

"We might not have a choice"

"We _don't_ have a choice. You're staying alive no matter what we have to do"

Valkyrie chuckled and hugged Skulduggery tighter "I wish that were true"

"I missed you, you know. Just a little bit" he mumbled into her hair.

"I missed me too" she smiled and they let themselves enjoy their own little world for a small while longer.

_.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._. -._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.

Eventually, Valkyrie untangled herself from Skulduggery and looked into his eye sockets.

"Did you have to tell them?" she asked.

"They practically found out themselves"

"How's... Vex. And Saracen?"

"They're fine, as far as I know. They might shoot you though"

"_I_ might shoot me. Let's hope we all stay away from our guns though, eh?"

Skulduggery chuckled and ruffled her hair and lead her outside. A cleaver stationed outside the office raised it's scythe, but Skulduggery just brushed it aside.

"She's not the enemy any more"

The cleaver returned to it's post and Valkyrie felt the visor-covered eyes follow her as she walked away. Skulduggery grabbed her hand and hid her behind him as they walked purposefully towards China's office.

"You're not dead" China remarked as they slipped into the room together.

"Valkyrie's back" Skulduggery met China's surprising fact with one of this own. China blinked as Valkyrie stepped out from behind Skulduggery and smiled.

"Well that is a lovely surprise. Now it'll be easier to kill her"

"What?" Skulduggery grabbed hold of Valkyrie again, moving her away from China who was grinning wildly.

"The accelerator needs a willing sacrifice to be stopped. Here we have something else that needs to be stopped"

"Death is extreme. She just needs a safe place"

"Like the afterlife?"

"I was thinking more of the gaol. With a bigger, more comfortable cell. With windows. And regular visits"

"And maybe a garden?" Valkyrie asked sweetly as she grinned at China.

"The gaol isn't inescapable for someone like Darquesse. Especially with visits"

"Not if we use a light pattern to send her to sleep before and after every visit"

China considered this option for a while before speaking.

"I'll allow a gaol cell to be refurbished for her, but visits are too risky"

"Deal" Skulduggery said and shook China's dainty hand.

Valkyrie's heart sank. She's never see anyone again? Death didn't sound so bad compared to an eternity alone in a room.

She let Skulduggery know her thoughts on his 'plan' as soon as they were out of China's earshot.

"Alone? You wouldn't be alone. I'm coming with you"

Valkyrie stopped walking and stood in front of Skulduggery.

"Coming with me where? The gaol?"

"Of course! I'm never leaving you"

"You'd give up your life for me?"

Skulduggery gave a short nod and looked away slightly.

"But why?" Valkyrie whispered and there was a few seconds of awkward silence as Skulduggery thought of an answer.

"Ah hell" he mumbled as he wrapped a hand around Valkyrie's waist and pulled her in. He gave her time to protest as their mouths hovered, tantalisingly close, before pushing his teeth gently against her soft lips.

They stayed like that for a while, shifting positions occasionally and kissing like they weren't over 400 and 19 years old. Valkyrie smiled against Skulduggery's teeth as they pulled apart slightly.

"I suppose we'd better collect our stuff"

**Some Valduggery mush for you there... But it won't last ;D**

**Thanks sooooo much for the reviews so far. Someone very helpfully pointed out I'd been spelling Darquesse wrong this whole darn time :/ The word processor I'm using at the moment doesn't have any spell check so things are a little jumbled.**

**Keep letting me know what you want because at the mo you guys don't seem to be Valduggery fans... What pairing do you want? Any new characters you wanna see?**

**TheOracleOfDarkness x **


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